


New Beginnings

by dontartichoke



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, Hair-pulling, Kinda, Kissing, M/M, Mentions of Natsuya Kazu and Nao, kyoani said sourin is skinny and it inspired me to finish a fic after 87 years, unbetad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-18 21:00:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16126646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontartichoke/pseuds/dontartichoke
Summary: post 3x12 where Rin upholds Sousuke to a promise he made to the new team member on the Japan's National swim team.





	New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written fic in awhile that shows sourin's impact so I'm a little rusty sorry

Rin purposefully knocked obnoxiously on Sousuke’s hotel room door, because going to by Rin’s unanswered text, Sousuke was still asleep despite promising he’d get up early and show him his old running ground from high school. Rin was about to knock again but the door suddenly flew open.

“About time you opened the -,” Rin began but lost train of thought seeing that familiar shade of pink adorned with a koala riding a rocket. “You’re wearing the shirt?” Rin asked incredulously. Sousuke yawned and Rin noticed Sousuke’s bedhead and freshly woken up face and not that he’d ever admit it to Sousuke but it was actually quite . . . _cute_.

“I ran out of clean pajama shirts,” Sousuke stated simply and the suddenly leaned in leaving his and Rin’s faces only a few centimeters apart. “So what do you think my image softened any?” He teased.

Rin tried to keep a blank face but feels like he’s failing miserably. “It still needs some work,” He replied trying to play it nonchalant. Sousuke smiled softly and shrugged slightly before standing up straight. “Come on you made a promise to the newest member of Team Japan remember?” Rin reminded and Sousuke squinted his face affectionately at Rin making his nose scrunch up the way it does when laughs.

“I remember, give me a couple minutes,” He replied. Rin entered Sousuke’s hotel room as Sousuke went to his duffle bag to grab a few thing before heading to the bathroom.

Rin took a seat on Sousuke’s messy bed and his thoughts wandered to having Sousuke so close to his face like that. Sousuke’s been doing that a lot lately. In fact ever since Rin’s been back in Japan Sousuke’s been different, he’s still Sousuke but after his successful surgery he seems lighter somehow more confident in himself. It made Rin fill up with pleasant warmth to see him like that again. Rin couldn’t help but worry sometimes despite Sousuke telling him not to, but the truth is he sometimes he had more faith in Sousuke more than he had faith in himself.

“Alright I’m ready to go,” Sousuke said after leaving the bathroom.

“Finally,” Rin said with a faux exasperation.

“Shouldn’t you be more tired after the All Japan Invitational?” Sousuke asked as they walked down the hallway. The question reminded Rin of all the not a morning person Sousuke he's encountered during their year at Samezuka.

“Maybe, but it’s actually only made me more fired up,” Rin explained with passion lacing his voice. Sousuke just gave him an unimpressed look. “Sorry we can’t all be 18 going to 80 like you,” Rin teased which was replied then receiving light kick coming from Sousuke hitting his calf making the maroon haired boy laugh.

It felt a little weird being in the car with Rin driving, Sousuke knew he could he got the text from Rin saying ‘first try’ attached with a photo of driver’s license receipt but it still needed some getting used to. While weird, Sousuke decided he wouldn’t describe it as a bad weird it was kind of fun seeing his oldest friend being so casually adult.

“It’s this place right?” Rin asked making Sousuke realize he hasn’t been staring at Rin instead of the road for a good amount of time. Sousuke looked over to familiar park not to far off from his old high school.

“Yeah this is the place,” Sousuke answered.

They jogged a steady pace around the park trail with Sousuke occasionally pointing out places and the stories attached to them genuinely capturing Rin’s interest. Sousuke never really talked about his past high school much before but he’s seemingly recalling tales with a great fondness.

It was on their third lap that Sousuke was pretty confidently he was remember this correctly “Hey Rin follow me,” he said before wandering off to Rin’s right onto something that barely looked like path.

“I need to get more normal friends,” Rin said to himself thinking back to Makoto and Haru’s actions the other day.

“You coming or not?” The taller boy asked not looking back.

“Yeah yeah one second,” he said shaking his head but deep down inside enamored by it.

Rin followed Sousuke’s lead on this winding path, and it kind of reminded Sousuke of the Sano days when they went around exploring their not much to explore small town. Everything about this area was ringing a bell in Sousuke’s head though so they really should be where he wanted to be any second now, he ducked under a tree branch and it clicked and it looked exactly how he remembered it.

“Wow,” Rin said breathily taking in the environment. It was a secluded area filled with cherry blossom trees and a small pond. Sousuke had a content smile enjoying the reaction it got out of RIn more than anything. Whenever he came here he always imagined how much Rin would like a place like this, “How’d you find this place?” Rin asked and Sousuke stiffened slightly for a moment.

“Oh I just stumbled across it,” Sousuke explained and Rin looked at him skeptically.

“You got lost didn’t you?” Rin asked smugly before a piece a hair fell in front of his face. Making Sousuke had to use a big amount of willpower to not brush out of RIn’s face.

“Same thing,”

“Not it isn’t!”

Sousuke just chuckled at that not really having a solid argument considering Rin was actually right about him getting lost. Something within him maybe it was the advice from Natusya and Kazu-nii finally settling in and made him lie down in the grass and look up at clouds just for a little while.

“What are you doing?” Rin asked the confusion clear on his face.

“Cloud watching, join me for old times sake,” he reasoned.

“Cloud watching huh,” Rin muttered to himself. He sighed and a fond expression appeared on his face. He looked around checking the area for bystanders and not noticing anyone so he simply shrugged and said, “alright i’ll join you,” before taking a spot next to his closest friend.

It was nice everything had been kind of hectic the past couple weeks and this finally gave both of them some downtime to just sort of process.

Well Rin was processing pretty well until Sousuke’s fingers kept brushing up against his, at first he brushed it off as an accident the accidentally brush against each other all the time, but then it kept happening and Rin finally looked over and Sousuke was still contently looking up at the sky. Rin moistened his lips in preparation to say something but Rin didn’t want that feeling to go away. It felt nice actually and brought up an energy inside it wasn’t quite nervousness it was more anticipation, the kind of anticipation where everything was happening really slow but also too fast at the same time. These feelings have happened with Sousuke more than Rin would care to admit but he doesn’t know what to exactly label them, much like how his anticipation feels contradictory his feelings about Sousuke are somehow simple and complicated at the same time. Rin was about to move his fingers towards Sousuke before Sousuke’s voiced surprised him.

“Rin,” Sousuke said turning his head say they were now looking face to face.

“Yeah,” Rin replied noticing his mouth suddenly felt dry.

“I was thinking-,” Sousuke began looking at Rin intently. “If I could go back in time and do things different sure there would some things I would do better and all that, but I’m happy with how things are now,” he paused before continuing, “just every moment spent with the Samezuka guys and every moment I got to spend with you it was all worth it. I don’t think I would exchange it for anything,” Sousuke confessed earnestly his expression being one of rare vulnerability coming from, but it was a happy vulnerability.

Rin overflow of emotions makes some prickle in his eyes so he looks away because he is not going to let Sousuke make him cry again, “Me neither,” Rin replied he then took a moment to regain his composure. “And you call me the romantic one, Sunshine,” Rin finally came back with taking the opportunity to make Sousuke the flustered one for once. Sousuke looked momentarily embarrassed before looking away from Rin with a pout. Rin moved to sit up resting on his left arm so he could get a better look at his bashful friend.

“I guess you’re finally starting to rub off on me,”

“Took long enough,” he said as he gazed upon Sousuke with such fondness. “You have grass in your hair,” Rin pointed out. He moved over so he more leaning over his friend a pecking out blades of grass.

“You do too Cool Guy,” Sousuke said bring up his hand towards Rin’s face and pushing some Rin’s hair behind his ear before proceeding to pluck out grass from Rin’s hair as well.

Rin was suddenly reminded of Natsuya’s words of going back to Japan because of having someone he wanted to swim with and then seeing him again at the tournament with the silver haired guy and it’s like a light went off in Rin’s head. In the heat of the moment Rin just tends to act before thinking ahead and he seems to have not gotten out of the habit no matter how much he’s changed in Australia.

Rin leaned down pressed lips against Sousuke’s and it wasn’t like how he ever imagined a kiss to feel like it was more intense he imagined, Rin’s used to wanting things but he’s never wanted a moment to end or do something again quite like this before. It was so overwhelming it took a few good second before the rational part of him could kick in and pulled away noticing Sousuke’s stiffness.

“I’m so sor-,”

“Why’d you kiss me?” Sousuke asked cutting him and he had an expression Rin’s never quite seen from his before and couldn’t quite place.  
“Because I wanted to,” Rin answered to the best of his ability, he;s a bit frazzled and it was true . The tension was so thick that even Sousuke’s chuckle had still had Rin on edge.

“That’s a very you answer,” Sousuke said.

“What’s that supposed to mean you -,” Rin started before Sousuke’s mouth got in the way, not that Rin is complaining.

Sousuke’s hand moved to the base of Rin’s head and interlocking his fingers into RIn’s hair in a way he may have pictured once or twice. Rin’s finger gently stroke Sousuke’s jaw and Sousuke’s not used to being kissed so tenderly it’s a little overwhelming but in a way he just wanted to dive right in. Sousuke adjusted his hands and accidentally tugged at Rin’s hair and Rin made a noise that easily climbed the charts to favorite Rin noises. Also something to keep a note on as things Rin was into. Also Sousuke was an opportunist so he took this open opportunity to slot his tongue into Rin’s mouth and try out that one thing someone did with their tongue that he really liked one time, and those Rin noise’s were somehow even better than the first. Rin suddenly pulled away much to Sousuke’s disappointment but he got to witness a disheveled Rin that’s certainly a sight he doesn’t mind. Sousuke leans in again and Rin pulls away again.

“You’ve done this before?” Rin asked breathless.

“Jealous?” Sousuke asked quirking his eyebrow.

“You wish,” Rin wasn’t jealous he was just . . . curious in a totally not jealous way. He wondered what was Sousuke’s type, did he even have a type.

“I could show you some other things I know too if you like?” Sousuke suggested, he's only really kissed two people in his life but it was an eye opening experience for sure and has come to be quite handy. Sousuke smiled confidently while intertwining the his hand with the one that Rin had previously been caressing his facing.

“Oh really?” Rin said teasingly.

“Yeah I’m just getting started,”


End file.
